Jan Tomasz Rogala has lived in the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro for fifteen years, performing as a professional clown for ill children in local hospitals, Poland’s PAP news agency reported.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, he’s been giving kids laughs with his clown tricks in a refugee shelter.
However, first he has to evacuate them from under Russian fire, PAP reports.
Together with colleagues, friends and family, Rogala has been carrying out rescue missions using his clown van and hired buses.
“They pick up unwell children, their families, children in orphanages, the disabled and the elderly from invaded cities such as Kharkiv and Donbas, and bring them back to Dnipro, which has so far been relatively safe,” the inews.co.uk website wrote.
Once the kids reach the safety of the Dnipro refugee centre, they are entertained by the Pole and his team of clowns and magicians.
“It’s so beautiful to see the kids laugh," Rogala said. "It is just finding some joy for them, and it is so special for the parents to see their children feel happy in a nightmare situation like this.”
When the Russian attack began, Rogala and his wife decided to stay in Ukraine rather than return to Poland.
“This is about saving lives,” he said.
(pm)
Source: PAP, inews.co.uk